Sherwood’s proposed 2014-15 city budget, which will be reviewed by city leaders during the next couple months, includes increased general fund dollars for new city employees along with plans to study police department needs.

The Sherwood Budget Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 14, at 6 p.m. in Sherwood City Hall. Public comment will be accepted at the meeting.

The committee will vote on the budget on May 17 or 21, depending on how much time is needed to review the document. The final budget will go before the Sherwood City Council on June 17 for a public hearing and vote.

In the meantime, here’s a look at the proposed budget.

General fund

The budget calls for a $14 million general fund, including nearly $3 million in reserve and contingency funds that are not part of the city’s overall operating expenditures. The fund is up about 5 percent from last year’s $13.3 million total.

The $11.2 million in proposed general fund expenditures, which excludes reserve and contingency dollars, is a 14 percent increase year-over-year.

The general fund includes city services like police, public works, community development and administration. Much of the general fund is supported by tax dollars, estimated to make up $4.8 million of the general fund in 2014-15.

More than 70 percent of the city’s general fund expenditures, or about $8.1 million, goes to personnel services, which includes salaries and benefits for city employees.

City staffing

The proposed budget adds five new positions, four full-time and one half-time, upping the total Sherwood city staff to 104 employees. The new jobs are: an associate planner, an engineering associate, a half-time building permit tech and two staffers at the new Sherwood Community Center, which is expected to open in January 2015. The new planning position is grant-funded, according to the budget.

While the current budget does not include specific funds to hire new police officers, the city will be funding a study to determine what additional resources are needed within the police department. The department currently has the equivalent of 25.6 full-time employees and a proposed 2014-15 budget of about $3.6 million.

Total budget

The general fund is one piece of the city’s total $24.9 million operating and capital budget.

According to the proposed budget, funds for user-fee-supported services like sanitary sewer, water, stormwater management and telecommunications remain stable.

However, funds for major street construction and park development are not enough to cover the city’s list of planned projects, such as the second phase of Pine Street construction work. The Pine Street project has been delayed and park projects will move forward as funds become available, according to the budget.